After learning to play the guitar, the fiddle, and the piano, as well as to sing, Rusby played at many local folk festivals as a child and adolescent. She came to wider attention through her duets with her friend and fellow Barnsley folk singer Kathryn Roberts on the 1995 album Kate Rusby & Kathryn Roberts.
At about this time she joined, and became the lead vocalist of, the all-female Celtic folk band The Poozies. This led to her becoming a founding member of the group Equation, which included Kathryn Roberts and Seth Lakeman. Rusby left Equation (being replaced by Cara Dillon) to follow a more traditional direction and, in 1997, released her debut solo album Hourglass produced by Scottish fiddler John McCusker (to whom Rusby was married for some time).
In 1999 Rusby recorded Sleepless which earned her a Mercury Music Prize nomination and the BBC Folk Award for Best Album and Best Folk Singer.
Rusby continues to release albums mixing traditional and self-penned songs on her own Pure Records, winning fans as diverse as Graham Coxon (who provided the illustration for her album The Girl Who Couldn't Fly) and collaborator Ronan Keating.
2008 saw the release of Sweet Bells, an album of traditional Christmas songs interpreted by Rusby.
In 2010, Rusby released the album Make the Light, a collection of self-penned songs, and in 2011 issued a second collection of Christmas songs titled While Mortals Sleep.
www.katerusby.com
Radio Sweethearts
Kate Rusby Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two lovers danced to an old radio
The music played clear and bright
The radio sweethearts waltzed all night
She was pretty, he was tall
He placed the furniture next to the wall
They closed their eyes, the stars shone bright
Years have passed, the lovers are gone
The story is over I'm told
But I believe, and I always will
The radio sweethearts are waltzin' still
Last night, I had a dream
That mama and papa had met once again
There in the glow of heaven's light
Oh, the radio sweethearts waltzed all night
Years have passed, the lovers are gone
The story is over I'm told
But I believe, and I always will
The radio sweethearts are waltzin' still
Kate Rusby's song "Radio Sweethearts" tells the story of two lovers who shared a magical evening of dancing to an old radio. The song is melancholic yet hopeful, evoking the feeling of nostalgia and longing that comes with remembering a past love. The opening lines set the scene of a time long ago, suggesting that the memory of this evening has stayed with the singer for many years. The music played clear and bright as they danced, and the couple closed their eyes, lost in the moment. The singer describes the woman as pretty and the man as tall, indicating a sense of admiration for this couple and their love.
The second verse talks about the passage of time, implying that the couple is no longer together. Despite this, the singer holds onto the belief that their love story continues. The use of the phrase "the story is over" suggests that the relationship has come to an end, but the singer refuses to let go of the memory of this moment. The final verse reveals a dream the singer had, which shows the lovers reunited in heaven and dancing once again. The use of the phrase "the radio sweethearts are waltzin' still" reinforces the idea that their love continues, even after death.
Overall, the song Radio Sweethearts speaks to the power of memory and the lasting impact of a love that has passed. It highlights the importance of holding onto the beauty of a moment and the hope that what was once lost can be found again.
Line by Line Meaning
One night, a long time ago
The story begins with a long time ago when something happened.
Two lovers danced to an old radio
Two lovers danced to music played by an old radio once upon a time.
The music played clear and bright
The music played by the radio was clear and sounded amazing.
The radio sweethearts waltzed all night
The two lovers danced all night as the music played by the radio kept going.
She was pretty, he was tall
The girl was beautiful, and the boy was tall.
He placed the furniture next to the wall
The boy moved furniture to make more space for dancing against the wall.
They closed their eyes, the stars shone bright
As they danced, they closed their eyes, and stars twinkled in the sky.
Years have passed, the lovers are gone
Years have gone by since the two lovers danced together.
The story is over I'm told
The story of the two lovers dancing on that night is now over.
But I believe, and I always will
Despite what is said, the artist believes that the story of the two lovers lives on.
The radio sweethearts are waltzin' still
The two lovers are still dancing to the music played by the old radio.
Last night, I had a dream
The artist had a dream that happened on the previous night.
That mama and papa had met once again
The singer dreamed of the two lovers meeting again in some sort of afterlife.
There in the glow of heaven's light
The two lovers met again in a beautiful, heavenly place.
Oh, the radio sweethearts waltzed all night
They spent the night dancing to the beautiful music played by the radio once again.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN MCCUSKER, JOHN MILLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
macronencer
The more I hear from Kate's first album, the more I think I should buy it!
Seetiyan
Loving this song!
Björn Ekengren
Thank you for uploading this beautiful song!
JamesStuart Brice
very nice song well performed. it reminds me of Debbie McClatchy's songs a bit.
Ellie Bell
this is the favorite song of someone I once loved. It's a wonderful song, but it reminds me of him
JAMES Rivis
In ecstasy at finding Kate at 76 !!
kio I
美しい情景が詰まっていて胸があったかくなります。
Mathemagics
@tremoloheart *points to sidebar* really?
Dennis Anthonis
are there any videos of this woman actually singing live and playing the guitar. All I see are stupid still photos.
cisumevolneblok
Do you even read the description?
"A home-made, photo-selection music video for the song..."
facepalm